Wheel falls off vehicle on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa, jumps median and strikes oncoming car

Ottawa police are reminding drivers to have their wheels double torqued after a tire came off a vehicle and struck another car on Hwy. 417. Josh Marano reports.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are reminding drivers to have their wheels double torqued after switching to summer tires, after one came off a vehicle, jumped the median and struck an oncoming car on Highway 417 in Ottawa.

Emergency crews responded to the call for an incident on the highway Friday night.

“A tire came off a vehicle travelling eastbound and struck a vehicle travelling westbound,” OPP Const. Michael Fathi said on X.

“This resulted in significant injuries to the driver, who was transported to hospital.”

A picture posted on social media showed the front windshield smashed and damaged to the frame of the vehicle at the top of the windshield.

Fathi told Newstalk 580 CFRA’s Ottawa at Work with Patricia Boal on Monday the injuries to the driver included glass in their eyes.

Fathi said a driver has been charged under the Highway Traffic Act section 84.2 — Driving Unsafe Vehicle for the wheel coming off the vehicle. The fine can range from $2,000 to $5,000.

“It’s that time of the year again, summer tire season! A reminder from the Ottawa OPP to have your tires double torqued,” Fathi said.

Fathi says mechanics always recommend a driver bring their vehicle back to the garage 100 km after having the tires changed.

“It doesn’t happen very often, but it does happen - especially at this time of year and in the fall when people switch over to winter tires,” Fathi told CFRA.

“Around this time of year, it probably happens a couple of times a week.”

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